Male broodiness: is it a thing? An exploration of men’s desire for fatherhood

Hadley, Robin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4254-7648 (2024) Male broodiness: is it a thing? An exploration of men’s desire for fatherhood. In: Fertility 2024: Rethinking Reproduction, 10 January 2024 - 13 January 2024, Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of the desire for parenthood (broodiness) in childless men compared to non-parents and parents. The vast bulk of studies examining reproductive behaviour, intentions and outcomes focus on women and couples. There are very few studies exploring men’s desire for fatherhood. Methods: This study used a sequential quantitative-qualitative mixed-methods online survey to reveal the influences, motivations, and reasons for men and women’s desire for parenthood. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive, univariate, and bivariate techniques. Qualitative data was analysed using a latent thematic analysis. Recruitment was by the snowball email method. The sample was formed of 232 respondents with a mean age of 41.37 years (SD = 10.83), a central tendency of female, the majority were White British, degree educated, professional, and heterosexual. Results: The main finding identified that the childless respondents showed similar levels of desire for parenthood with women scoring slightly higher than men. A higher number of childless men desired parenthood (51.9%) than did not (25.9%). For non-parents economic and social factors were the main influences on the decision for parenthood. Mothers and fathers demonstrated an equal desire not to have another child. Conclusions: The findings from this study did not support the hypothesis (and common belief) that men are not interested or affected by the desire for parenthood. Compared to equivalent women, childless men may experience higher levels of depression and isolation.